PUTRAJAYA, July 6 — Malaysia has been recognised as one of the most successful countries in the world in handling and controlling the Covid-29 pandemic, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Addressing about 250 staff of the Prime Minister’s Department at their assembly after the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) here today, Muhyiddin said the success was due to the hard work and cooperation from the government and the entire Malaysian society.

“We are grateful that Malaysia has been able to sail through a very difficult time in dealing with the Covid-19 that has hit the world, including Malaysia.

“All this is because of the tremendous efforts we have put together, both at the government and the grassroots levels, handling it wisely, decisively and boldly to make quick and accurate decisions to prevent the disease from spreading,” he said.

He said the government has never underestimated any issue concerning the well-being of the people even though Malaysia had no experience of dealing with such pandemic for more than 60 years.

Muhyiddin also expressed his gratitude to civil servants and frontliners, including doctors, nurses, armed forces, police, the National Security Council, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Social Welfare Department, for their effort in tackling Covid-19.

He said Malaysia today was at the Recovery Movement Control Order stage which provides many opportunities for life to resume as usual.

“The current recovery phase we are going through is more challenging. It is one more stage that we have to look at carefully.

“Even though, (the problem of) Covid-19 is not resolved until a vaccine has been found, we have to move forward, maybe faster than other countries which are affected by the pandemic,” he said.

As of noon yesterday, the cumulative number of cases recorded in Malaysia is 8,663 with 121 deaths and only 77 active cases. — Bernama